[sparente]

The Division of Youth and Family Services in NJ is the state's Child Welfare Agency dedicated towards ensuring the wellbeing and safety of its children. Currently there are thousands of children in need of loving homes and YOU can make a difference.

Craig is a 12 year old boy who thoughout his childhood was a victim of child abuse and neglect. In 2004, he suffered a tragic accident and became a paraplegic. After many years in therapy, he is now ready to be discharged from rehabilitation. Unfotunately, although Craig is ready to move into a loving home, the Division has been unable to identify an adoptive family for him. This is why we need YOUR help.

If you are someone who feels that you can be that loving family for Craig please contact me at the Division. We are looking for a family who has the experience, skills, and desire to help a paraplegic child in need. We are looking for someone who wants to give Craig the opportunity to have somewhere to call home and the opportunity to love and be loved. Craig needs to know what it is like to have a normal life even though his life is not normal.

If you are interested in learning more about Craig and how you can help, please call me, Sandra Parente, at 201-996-8900 ext. 268 and I will be more than happy to assist you.

I'm looking forward to hearing from you soon,

Sincerely,
Sandra Parente
Resource Family Recruitment Specialist
Division of Youth and Family Services
Hackensack, NJ
201-996-8900 ext .268

[Ches]

I wish I could help, I'm sure he's great. Best of luck to you guys.

[Santa Cruz Soul Surfer (LRO)]

That's heartbreaking I pray you guy's find him a good home with a loving family!...please keep us up to date with how things go.

[sparente]

Thanks for the good wishes. We hope that we can get the message out and that someone out there will hear it. Every child deserves a family. Every childs deserves to have someone that loves them. I believe there is a a family out there for Craig, and together, we can find them.

Sandra

[Santa Cruz Soul Surfer (LRO)]

Now is it a requisite that the family be located in the New York/ New Jersey area, or are you searching throughout the US/World?...

[sparente]

Santa Cruz Soul Surfer (LRO), on Mar 5 2009, 12:45 PM, said:

Now is it a requisite that the family be located in the New York/ New Jersey area, or are you searching throughout the US/World?...

Although the state prefers that a family be found in NJ in order to keep children in their own communities, it is not a requisite, especially for medically fragile children since it is much more difficult to find them a home. If there is a family outiside of NJ that is interested in the adoption of one of our medically fragile children and no families are identified in NJ, then that family could be considered for the adoption of the child.

[sbrown955]

Oh how I wish I could help, but since my daughter was injured, we've used up every last resource and are now reducing to trying to swap housing for care so we can move where we'd like.
A note to anyone reading about this boy who DOES have the resources: his background sounds like my daughter's--rough and violent with the expected results to her psyche. I met her when she was eight and brought her home with me when she was thirteen. She was shot and paralyzed when she was fifteen (two years ago). The past two years have been so difficult and so rewarding, all at the same time. She turns 18 later this month, then I will formally adopt her (right now, she's legally my ward, but in our hearts, she's daughter and I'm Mom).
If you have the home to offer this boy, I bet taking him in would reward you just as taking my daughter in has me. I wouldn't trade her for the world, and yes, I do have two of the biological sort--they're all equally loved and treasured.
Sandra, thank you for working to help this boy.
Susan